Page 166 of Sinful Blaze

“What do you want me to say?” he spits in disgust. “Our daughter is pregnant, unwed, and shacking up with some stranger. She’s going to do whatever the hell she wants.”

“I’m right here, you know, Dad.”

“Drugs.” Ophelia folds her arms with a definitive nod. “That’s what this is all about. Isn’t it, Daphne? You’re involved with drugs.”

I sigh. It feels like I could pass out from the weight of that exhale. “I have work to do, so…”

Neither of them takes the hint to leave the office. Fine. I’ll leave, then.

I grab a stack of folders, my tablet, and head for the door. Of course, they follow me.

“We can send you to rehab, honey.” Stewart tries to rest a hand on my shoulder, but I wriggle away. “There’s a beautiful facility in Switzerland that deals with women in your… delicate position.”

Hazel pops her head out of her office; her eyes widen when she sees us.

Guess who else sees us?

“For the hundredth time, Daphne, this is not a place for social calls!”

Todd storms out of his shared office, followed by Keith. They’re both glaring at me and eyeing my parents with disdain.

I bite my tongue. Keep calm and don’t commit double parricide, Daph. “I did not invite them here, Todd. They showed up without warning.”

“Maybe if you weren’t so… how should we say… ‘cavalier’ with your social life?—”

“Excuse me?”

Ophelia presses the back of her hand to her brow. “I have been telling her this for years, Mr. Bloom. We cannot have someone like her representing our family like this!”

Keith scoffs in agreement with her. “And we can’t have her representing our company like this! It’s utterly ridiculous.”

“It’s not too late, Daphne. There are options. We know a doctor in Manhattan?—”

I freeze.

Hazel slowly shakes her head at me. Don’t do it. Don’t lose your shit.

Too.

Fucking.

Late.

“What. Did. You. Say?” I slowly turn to face Ophelia.

She waves the same hand in front of her face. “Oh, for goodness’s sake, enough with the dramatics! I’m just trying to?—”

“You’re just trying to wipe away the last few months of my life so I can go back to being your precious fucking doll you can show off to your dumbass friends? The family whore you can pimp out to the highest bidder?”

Her mouth snaps shut.

Keith, however, doesn’t take the hint. “Listen to your mother, Daphne. This drama has no place in the workspace, and you’ve been nothing but difficult since you threw yourself at our client. I understand that hormones are raging right now, but you need to check those at the door.”

I turn on him next. He’s lucky I’m more worried about paying for a new wall than throwing him into it. “Shut the fuck up, Keith. You’re lucky I don’t take you to the cleaners for misogynistic practices and workplace bullying.”

Hazel claps a hand over her mouth. “Get him,” I hear her whisper behind her palm.

Todd holds a hand up to stop me. “If that’s how you feel, Daphne, then you can leave. Pack your things and go find employment elsewhere.”

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